A structure of a conventional washing machine is described with reference to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12.
FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the conventional washing machine, and FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of an essential part of the same machine.
In FIG. 11, a body 101 of a washing machine has a water tub 103 supported by suspension 102. In water tub 103, a cleansing basket 104 doubling as a spin dryer (hereinafter referred to as basket 104) is installed rotatably. Basket 104 has a top opening, through which articles to be cleansed are loaded. On a bottom section of basket 104, an agitator 105 (pulsator) is equipped rotatably. Basket 104 has numerous small holes in a sidewall thereof.
In FIG. 12, basket 104 is fixed to a dryer shaft 107 journaled by a bearing 106 disposed at a lower part of water tub 103. Agitator 105 is fixed at a first end of a washing shaft 109 journaled by a bearing 108 within the dryer shaft 107. A second end of washing shaft 109 is coupled to a first end of an input shaft 111 of a speed reduction mechanism 110. Pulley 112 is mounted to a second end of input shaft 111 of the speed reduction mechanism 110.
The second end of input shaft 111 shows a circle in its cross sectional view, and is sided by shaving to form a quadrilateral so that a mounting hole of pulley 112 can mate with the shaved second end, and pulley 112 is fixed to shaft 111. Pulley 112 is coupled to a motor 114 shown in FIG. 11 via a belt 113. Motor 114 drives shaft 111 via pulley 112. Shaft 111 has a clutch 115 for switching the transmission of the driving force of motor 114 either to washing shaft 109 or to dryer shaft 107.
Clutch 115 comprises the following elements:
(a) a clutch boss 116 having a hole mating with the shaved second end of shaft 111; PA1 (b) a clutch spring 117; and PA1 (c) a sleeve 118 for transmitting the force of a clutch driver 119 for driving the clutch. A first end of spring 117 winds around clutch boss 116 and a second thereof winds around dryer shaft 107. PA1 (a) a clutch claw 120; PA1 (b) a clutch lever 121; PA1 (c) a clutch switcher (not shown) including, e.g. a geared motor for rotating clutch lever 121; and PA1 (d) a clutch lever spring 122. PA1 (a) a dryer shaft for spinning the basket doubling as a washing basket and a spin-drying basket; PA1 (b) a washing shaft for spinning an agitator disposed in the basket, and disposed on the same axial line of the dryer shaft; PA1 (c) a motor for driving the dryer shaft and the washing shaft; PA1 (d) a speed reduction mechanism for reducing a driving speed of the motor, and then rotating the washing shaft; PA1 (e) a clutch for switching the transmission of the motor driving force either to the dryer shaft or to the washing shaft.
Clutch driver 119 comprises the following elements:
An operation of the conventional washing machine constructed above is hereinafter described.
First, laundry is loaded into basket 104, then a given quantity of water is supplied from a water tap (not shown). When the given quantity of water is filled into basket 104, washing is initiated. At this moment, spring 122 urges clutch claw 120 of clutch driver 119 to be engaged with sleeve 118, and loosens spring 117. This produces slipping between spring 117 and clutch boss 116.
The rotating force of motor 114 not only drives pulley 112 via belt 113, but also drives shaft 111 of the speed reduction mechanism. Shaft 111 then drives washing shaft 109 via speed reduction mechanism 110, and further drives agitator 105 fixed to washing shaft 109. Motor 114 is switched in its driving direction at given time intervals, which also switches the rotating direction of agitator 105. The laundry thus starts being cleansed.
Then, the water is discharged from basket 104 when the cleansing step is finished, and then spin-drying is begun. At this moment, a clutch switcher rotates clutch lever 121, whereby claw 120 is removed from sleeve 118, and spring 117 winds around boss 116.
Under this condition, the driving force of motor 114 travels to pulley 112 via belt 113 and drives shaft 111. The motor further drives dryer shaft 107 via clutch boss 116 and spring 117. Basket 104 fixed to dryer shaft 107 is then spun, which dehydrates the laundry. The water is discharged through the numerous small holes punched in the sidewall of the basket 104.
As such, clutch 115 controls the driving of agitator 105 or basket 104 so that the respective steps of cleansing, rinsing and dehydrating can be performed.
In this conventional construction, however, motor 114 is coupled to the driving mechanism via belt 113, which requires a lot of components and increases cost. Further, motor 114 is eccentric relative to the rotational axis of basket 104, and the rotating force of the motor 114 is transferred via belt 113 to the basket 104, whereby it is difficult to balance water tub 103.